When Worlds Collide
by razz m'tazz
Summary: An AU story beginning with a rebellious and carefree teenaged Shepard, thrust into a military life she never wanted. Along the way, she meets Kaidan Alenko - a young Alliance recruit that's everything she's not - who helps her as she adapts to a life that wasn't meant for her.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Let me preface this by saying that the first few chapters go rather in depth with my Shepard's personal background history. I'm doing this because a lot of what happened on that fateful day completely shaped her, and I feel that the background is vital to truly understand and empathize with this particular Shepard. ****I promise that this fic isn't purely a pre-service history rendition; as I said, it just complements my Shepard and makes her real, makes her unique, and expands the cookie-cutter early history glimpse we're given in-game.**

**Secondly, this was inspired by a short story I had created based off of the Colonist background. But the Shepard in what was supposed to be a short piece kept speaking, insisting that her tale was not yet finished, and thus, this behemoth was created.**

**The short, italicized bits at the beginning of the chapters are present day; what follows are the past events leading up to the present. I'm sorry if the continuity or time-frame seems confusing.**

**And lastly, the disclaimer: I do not own Mass Effects, its lore, its characters, or Shepard - they all belong to BioWare. I'm nothing more than an avid fan with too much of an active imagination for her own good.**

**Reviews, feedback, and constructive criticism is always appreciated.**

**So kick back, relax, and I hope you enjoy my story. Hope you'll venture on this journey with me :)**

**-razz**

* * *

_A loud, incessant ring buzzed throughout the young woman's head, causing her head to pound with renewed vigor. The deep laceration on her brow burned with intensity as each and every pound of her heart throbbed throughout her skull. Through hazy vision, she saw an obscure silhouette racing through fire and smoke to reach her. It was shouting something, the words lost on her deaf ears, and she strained to stay standing long enough for it to reach her as she tried to will her aching, damaged body to fight the cloaked stranger._

_It could be another batarian, come to finish her off before salvation wrapped its loving fingers around her fragile, broken frame and pulled her into the safety of its embrace._

_She brought her pistol, glistening with the deep crimson of fresh blood, up unsteadily in front of her._

Don't hesitate. Never hesitate. You hesitate, you die.

_The memory of the words resounded louder than the shrill whine reverberating in her eardrums, and she tried to find solace in those short, little sentences. Her index finger waivered on the trigger, and she attempted to force herself to pull the trigger, to put an end to her pursuer's advances._

Don't hesitate. Never hesitate.

_She had to keep going, had to stay strong, had to fight to live. So many people had died today, lost to the depravity of batarian ire, murdered to fulfill some unspoken threat of retribution for crimes committed by other humans: militaristic humans, political humans. It wasn't their fault; they were nothing more than a mere farming colony, harvesting crops and shepherding cattle._

_But not anymore. It was gone, all of it gone, because of the sadism of the monster barreling towards her right now._

You hesitate, you die.

_She pulled the trigger._

* * *

The springtime breeze ruffled the leaves that topped the swaying branches of the tall trees, creating a symphonic chorus of nature and calmness. The brilliant robin's egg blue of the sky complemented the calming green of the foliage that painted the landscape. Trees stretched out to touch the vast expanse above them, ferns and vines stole their way up the tree trunks, begging to bask in the sunshine that was stolen away by the canopy of leaves.

Avery Shepard loved being a colony kid – Mindoir was easily one of the most beautiful human settlements in the entire Milky Way. It was a simply society; most families inhabiting the town were farmers and lived complacent lives, content with their separation from the rest of the galaxy. The colonists kept to themselves, and they only contacted the Alliance or its affiliates a handful of times per year when they were ready to send out another shipment of the goods they'd produced. They didn't bother anyone and no one bothered them – they were nothing more than a mere blip on the radar.

Avery had had a rather privileged upbringing; her parents worked persistently on their farm, cultivating the best crops and livestock, and brought home a fair income. Most of which was used to finance Avery's extravagant tastes and sophisticated, top of the line education at a private high school, whose tuition shamed many Universities on Earth. If only her parents were savvy to the fact that Avery Shepard was a shameless truant, cutting class and skipping school brazenly, uncaring of the consequences, aloof that her parents were squandering their money, funneling their funds into an institution that Avery hardly stepped foot in.

She was charming, exceptionally intelligent, and devious – a downright dangerous and lethal combination. The young woman had a flair for the dramatic, a touch of renegade to her persona, and she often found herself on the brink of disaster as she tested her limits, dancing dangerously on the edge. Punishment was a foreign concept to her, penalties and ramifications inconsequential as they played virtually no role in her life. Whatever shenanigans or tomfooleries she was caught performing were quickly forgotten as her parents swooped to her rescue, simply swiping their omni-tools to quickly nullify any fines, wiping clean her pristine record, only immaculate due to her parents' distinction and reputation. What couldn't be erased by Mommy and Daddy, Avery could easily handle on her own, adorning her award winning smile and apologetic mien as her sparkling green eyes appealed to her superior, eventually winning over their mercy and dodging any reprimand.

School was an unnecessary waste of her time: sitting in a classroom for seven hours, listening to the drawl of teachers as they spoke dispassionately about uninteresting subjects that were lost to the students' memory the moment they walked out of the building doors.

No, cutting class with her best friends was a much more appealing alternative.

"_Avery! _I really don't think we should be doing this… what if someone sees us? You know we'll be in so much trouble if we get caught… _skipping class_," Avery's friend nagged, breathing the last two words in a harsh whisper, as if someone nearby might hear the blasphemous phrase and turn in the truants.

Avery rolled her eyes and sighed, eventually settling her gaze on her frazzled friend, blond hair draped around her heart-shaped face, framing her plain features in a flattering manner. Her eyes shifted uncomfortably, surveying the environment around them, as she tried to spot any possible witnesses to their horrifying crime. The fear and tension radiating from her was almost palpable.

"Marie, really, you need to calm down. I've already told you – it's not a big deal; no one is going to find us. Everything's gonna be _fine. _Tell her, Jazz._"_

A small giggle erupted from a third girl, Jasmine, better known by her moniker Jazz, a raven-haired beauty with a tall, slender frame, dark eyes twinkling with laughter at Marie's obvious discomfort. She rummaged around in her large purse and procured a worn package of cigarettes. She deftly flipped the top open, gave the pack a firm shake, and a single cigarette snaked out to bare its filter. Bringing it up to her mouth, Jazz clamped her lips around the tanned end as her free hand found a lighter and sparked the flint. The tobacco lit up with a bright orange glow, the embers glittering as she deeply inhaled.

Jazz peered down at Avery, a brow raised in question as she tilted her pack towards her friend. Avery eyed the flimsy package as she gnawed on her lower lip, vacillating with the undeniable urge to feed her addiction or finally commit to kicking the habit. She'd only considered for an ephemeral moment before gruffly reaching her hand out and snatching a cigarette from the pack, promising herself, for the umpteenth time, that this was absolutely her _very last cigarette_. Jasmine smiled her approval as she leaned over and held the lighter steadily in front of Avery, lighting her carcinogenic indulgence.

"Seriously, girl, you really need to chill. The more you freak out, the more likely you are to get busted. The hard part is done; you snuck outta class with no problem. Now all you gotta do is enjoy your newfound freedom!" the smoke left Jazz's mouth in wisps as she spoke, dancing in the air before dissipating.

Marie groaned her displeasure, fanning at the smoke laden air that hovered in front of her face. Her nose scrunched with disgust as she turned her head, gasping for untainted oxygen.

"Would you kindly move your cancer stick downwind? Those things will kill you, you know."

Jazz leered at her with mock surprise, placing a dramatic hand on her chest as her eyes opened wide with feigned shock. "You're kidding! I had absolutely _no idea _that smoking was bad for my health! Thank you, Marie, thank you so much for opening up my eyes to the dangers of smoking. What about you, Avery? Did you know that smoking can kill you?"

Avery smirked as tendrils of smoke exited her nostrils, "News to me."

Marie shook her head with disapproval, knowing this was an argument she'd no hope of winning. "I don't see how you guys can relax! This is absolutely nerve wracking. I can't believe I let you guys convince me to do this… it's _awful_," she whined as she rested against the stone wall, letting her head fall back onto her shoulders.

"It's for Avery's birthday! Her _sixteenth _birthday. The baby is finally all growed up," Jazz shot Avery a quick wink, an unspoken apology for the small jab at Avery's age, nearly two full years younger than her peers. The dark beauty sat above the other two girls on the edge of stone wall, legs dangling as she alternately kicked her feet out, and she toyed with loose rubble and rock. She took another deep drag of her cigarette.

Marie looked up at Jazz and gave her a pointed look, the irritation plainly etched on her features. "Her birthday was over a week ago, Jazz."

She shrugged. "We never celebrated," she said as she tiled her head back, directing the exhalation of smoke to the sky.

Avery leaned casually against the wall, legs crossed at the ankles, as she idly thumbed a stray strand of mahogany hair, twisting it into a braid, uncoiling it, and rebraiding the same segment. There was a pregnant pause between them, each lost in their own reveries and thoughts.

"So… what do you guys even do when you skip?" Marie finally seemed to lose some of her edge, her shifty eyes settling down, the awkward tension in her frame evaporating.

Avery lazily shrugged her left shoulder as she continued to stare intently at her braided strand. "Depends. Usually we just kinda hang out; sometimes we meet up with the guys if they're on shore leave."

A devious smile spread across Jazz's pouty lips, "Say, Avery… Speaking of Alliance boys, isn't Jeremy back in town for a few days? I hear he's ridiculously cut after all his physical training. Y'know, there's just something about a man in uniform that just gets me-"

"Shut your damn mouth, Jazz. He's my _brother_, for God's sake! You're absolutely not allowed to sleep with him – I will murder you myself. That's just so… so… so _disgusting._"

Avery's face contorted with repulsion at the thought of her best friend and her older brother having sex. Sure, Avery realized that her brother was considered to be of the attractive variety, and his service with the Alliance only served to add to his appeal. She'd grown up in his shadow, watching disdainfully as girls swooned over her older brother, and she frequently fell victim to predatory girls who feigned friendship in order to ease their way into Jeremy's bed.

She hated her older brother sometimes and lamented the fact that he was back in town, turning heads and breaking hearts. Avery puffed on her cigarette as she fought away the angry memories.

Mindoir wasn't home to many Alliance soldiers – most of the citizens who were born there stayed there to tend to the family farms; the ones that left were usually the valedictorians with incredible ambitions who ventured to the Citadel.

Jeremy had become something of a legend around Mindoir, one of the first strapping young men to enlist with the Alliance, quickly rising up in the rankings and on target for elite training. There was a rumor running around that he even had potential for Spectre candidacy; the Alliance was buttering him up and preparing him for the years of arduous training that would put him in the running with several other young recruits, each of them considered as the best humanity had to offer.

All the fawning over her brother nauseated Avery and caused her to resent her brother for his accomplishments and tireless diligence.

Jazz held her hands up in surrender, momentarily halting the sway of her feet.

"Hey, now, I didn't mean anything by it. I'm just saying. Your brother is kinda hot, Avery." She snubbed out her cigarette on the stone before flicking the wasted butt onto the ground.

Marie piped up bashfully, "She's right. He's drop dead _gorgeous_."

"Man, if only he weren't your brother… the things I would do to that man…"

Avery smacked Jazz's leg hard with her hand, pushing it forcefully back into the stone. "I'm warning you, Jazz, shut the hell up about my brother before I-"

A shrill scream pierced the air, silencing her idle threat, rattling the ebb and flow of the wind as it swarmed around the trio. Startled by the unexpected sound, Avery jumped and dropped her burning cigarette. Goosebumps instantly rose on her arms, rapidly descending on the rest of her body as an unnerved chill swept over her. The cigarette died out, suffocated by the dense grass, as the three girls waited silently for some sort of indication, some sort of follow up that would explain the terrorized cry.

An eerie silence hung heavy in the area; birds silenced their chirped songs, leaves settled their harmonious dance, and even the air seemed to hold its breath, fearful of the cause of the sound.

A thunderous boom roared out, quickly diminished by the sound of a second blood curdling shriek that reverberated between the trees, echoing off of the stone wall Avery leaned against. In a whirlwind of long charcoal hair and bronzed skin, Jazz leapt off the ledge, landing with a loud thud on the grass adjacent to Avery.

"Holy shit! That was a _gunshot_, a goddamned gunshot!" Jasmine whipped her head to the side, tendrils of her hair flying in front of her face as she looked around, expecting to find something horrible surrounding them.

Avery jerked her body free of the wall and stood rigidly as a cacophony of gunshots rang out, followed by a wallow of screams. Without speaking, the three of them edged along the wall, treading to the end so they could peer over at the epicenter of the sounds. Dread washed over Avery as she realized the sounds stemmed from the direction of her school, maybe a half mile away from them. Jazz stopped and curled her fingers around the edge, carefully sticking her head out to observe the pandemonium.

Avery saw her friend's body still, a sudden statue paralyzed by the sight that fell before her.

"Jazz... What is it?" Avery questioned her friend. She remained silent, as if she hadn't even heard Avery speak. Jasmine swallowed audibly, and Avery noticed the slight tremble in her slender frame. "Jazz?"

"Avery… the school… it's… it's… _burning."_


	2. Chapter 2

_There was a blinding flash of lightening followed by a clap of thunder. The force from the gunshot ricocheted throughout her entire body, and her wobbly knees finally gave out. The weapon fell from her hand as she crumbled to the ground, too exhausted and delirious to even try and catch herself. Out of her peripheral view, she saw a strange blue glow emanating from the shroud of smoke._

_She heard a harsh exclamation and realized with a heavy heart that she'd missed her target. The growing pit in her belly threatened to swallow her whole before the stranger would even have time to murder her itself. She almost wished it would._

_The girl tried to maintain her composure, to keep some semblance of her former self, and refused to offer the monster the satisfaction of her fear by begging for her life. She knew she was going to die; she'd already come to terms with it as best as she knew how._

_The form walked out of the shadow and she braced herself for impact, staring directly where she assumed its eyes were, channeling all of her wrath and hatred onto the being. As it emerged from wispy fog, approaching her cautiously with a pistol trained on her head, she nearly wept with joy as she recognized the man as human - a soldier, no less._

_She was saved. Her nightmare was over._

_She would have cried if she had any tears left._

* * *

Avery could hardly believe the words that were just spoken to her.

"That's so not funny, Jasmine. Get outta the way." Avery pushed past her friend, terrified of whatever it was that she might see, but in harsh denial that anything was amiss.

Her blood ran cold as her eyes fell upon the devastation. Alien ships littered the sky as they began their descent in Mindoir's atmosphere. One had already settled near the school, a patrol unit sent out before the rest of the fleet landed. Much as Jazz had warned, the school was burning; tongues of flame licked across the building, flowed up the walls, and smothered the entire edifice with its heat and smoke. The vague outlines of frantic bodies rushing out of the doors and leaping out of windows haunted her vision. Those who escaped the burning building were greeted with the stopping force of a bullet or were snatched into the hands of some imposing figures. Avery couldn't distinguish their shape or race; they were humanoid in stature, but they were most definitely not human.

"G-guys? Wh-what's going on?" Marie's soft, fearful voice peeped behind them.

"Batarians," Jazz's voice was a breathless whisper, speaking more to herself than her companions. Her eyes lingered in the sky, watching as small specks dotted the horizon, dozens of ships approaching. "Batarians are raiding the colony."

"How do you know?" Avery jerked her head to look at Jazz, incredulous at her ridiculous assessment.

"What do you mean, 'how do I know'? I just watched a goddamned batarian put a bullet in one of our classmates while another one grabbed a girl by her hair and dragged her toward their ship. Either they're raiding us, or the batarians have one hell of a welcoming party," Jazz snapped, fear permeating her words.

"We have to get out of here. Now. Before they see us," Avery spoke boldly, belying the utter fright that gripped her core.

Jasmine gave a terse nod as she marched toward her car, a rusting flying vehicle she had "borrowed" from her parents' garage.

"Are you guys _insane?! _Where the hell are we gonna go?" Marie reached out and grabbed Jazz's arm, halting her steps. Jazz angrily yanked her arm free from Marie's grasp and glowered at her, causing the smaller girl to cringe.

"Alright, smart ass, do you have any other brilliant ideas? Stay here and see if the batarians just want a nice, friendly hug? Maybe take them out for lunch? Show them around town, give them a tour of our farms and land?" Jazz taunted her.

"We don't even know that it's the batarians!"

"Of course it's the batarians!" Jazz shouted despite herself, her arms flinging up in the air with exasperation. "The batarians freaking _hate _humans, especially after our colonization on the Skyllian Verge. Just look at the ship – that's no turian ship and it's definitely not a krogan vessel. No other alien race would chance starting a war with us and piss off the Council."

"How do _you _know what their ships look like? You've never even left Mindoir!"

Jazz stiffened and her tone turned defensive, "I do read, Marie, I'm not the babbling idiot you think I am. I just don't like doing the bullshit work. I'm lazy, not stupid." She crossed her arms defiantly under her breasts, her pride momentarily overtaking her fear at the dire situation.

"That's not what I meant, Jazz." Marie looked at her apologetically.

Jazz shrugged off her act of contrition. "We stay here and we're no better off than them," she jutted her chin in the direction of the school. "We have to leave – there's no other option. My car isn't that far off."

"We'll be sitting ducks in the field! If it _is_ the batarians, the moment we walk out there, we'll get a bullet in the back!"

"Guys," Avery spoke out, but her word was lost on the bickering duo, drowned out by the incessant screaming and gunfire.

"Better than staying and doing nothing! I'd rather die knowing I tried to escape than die knowing I didn't do a damned thing to help myself."

"Guys," Avery spoke louder this time, insistent that they hear her. Once more, her word fell upon deaf ears.

"You don't know that they'll find us here! We're hidden by the wall. If we just stay here and-"

"Would you two just shut the hell up? Good God, you guys are worse than my parents!" Avery shouted at them, instantly silencing them with the force of her tone. They looked at her with stunned expressions, mouths agape as their words fell silent. "_Thank you_. Anyway, I know where we can go. My farm has a storm bunker that locks from the inside. Jeremy's a tech guy and tweaked it out to survive anything. We can wait out whatever's happening in there."

Marie opened her mouth to protest, but was harshly interrupted by a deep rumble as the ground around them shook. Whatever objection lingered on her tongue was quickly dispelled by the tremble. The trio took off in a sprint, heading towards the vehicle parked at the cusp of the forest on the other side of the field. It was only a football field away, but the open distance seemed like a marathon.

Avery led their flight, her nimble legs moving quicker than the others', and Jazz's smoking lungs labored for breath as she ran for her life. Never in her sixteen years had Avery ever felt so exposed, so vulnerable, and the run lasted an eternity as she anticipated the sharp pain of a bullet piercing her flesh, instantly ending her short life.

She could scarcely believe it when the three of them arrived at the vehicle unharmed and undetected. They panted for breath as Jazz fumbled with the keys, desperation hindering her movements as she attempted to unlock the car.

"Hurry up, Jazz!" Marie whined as her hand lingered on the door handle, impatiently waiting to hear the tell-tale 'click' as the locks disengaged.

"I'm trying, Marie!" Jazz snapped bitterly as she finally unlocked the doors.

The three piled in the car; Avery jumped in the back as Jasmine settled in the driver's seat, turning the engine over, praying for it to quickly roar to life. Marie sat stupefied in the front, her eyes unseeing as they stared at the carnage.

"That should be me in there. With them. Burning, screaming, running." Marie hesitated a moment before continuing, "If… if you guys hadn't convinced me to cut class, I'd be dead. Or… worse."

"Don't think like that, Marie. It's not your fault. You just weren't meant to die today. None of us are." Avery reached out and touched Marie, giving her shoulder a comforting squeeze. She brought her hand up to rest on top of Avery's, gently holding it, as tears brimmed around her hazel eyes.

Jasmine threw the car into gear and turned in her seat, arm wrapping around the headrest as she craned her neck to look behind her. Avery looked on with horror as a batarian appeared from the thick of the forest, standing mere feet in front of them. His four black eyes glared at them, narrowing with loathing as he brought a tightly balled fist in front of his body. He was holding something round, and Avery briefly marveled at the object before the unsettling recognition dawned on her.

He held a grenade.

Jeremy had shown her some of his weapons, armor, and even grenades when he first enlisted with the Alliance. He was showing off his newfound lethality and boasted about his infiltrating prowess, showcasing his coveted grenades and sniper rifle. Avery tried to hide her fascination at the objects, carefully turning the weapons over in her hand when she thought Jeremy wasn't looking. She'd memorized the look and feel of each of the items he'd shown to her.

She knew the batarian most definitely held a grenade.

Unbridled terror stole her voice from her and Avery's warnings fell from her mouth in an incoherent jumble, tongue twisting and incapable of forming words, as she frantically smacked Jazz's arm to bring her attention to the threatening figure. Jasmine looked confused at Avery's protests and followed her fearful gaze to the front of the car.

"_Holy shit!" _Jazz yelped, bringing both of her hands to fiercely grip the steering wheel as her foot stomped on the accelerator. The car lurched forward as it lifted off the ground and wobbled as it headed straight for the batarian, eyes widened with fear, reflecting the advancing car's image in the black globes.

The car smacked into his frame and came to an abrupt standstill, causing the three girls' heads to whiplash against the sudden jerking movement. They rested on top of the batarian, the car off kilter as it unevenly balanced on top of his form.

Seconds passed without incident and Jazz barked out a sharp, humorless laugh. Avery felt a flood of relief wash over her as she surmised the batarian had to be dead from the crushing weight of the vehicle.

"Jesus, that was close-"

Jazz's words were silenced by a small explosion as the grenade detonated. The unbalanced car flipped to its side, tossing the girls' bodies out of their seats. Avery felt a stabbing pain in her skull as her cranium smashed against the window to her side, the glass cracking in a spider web at the impact. White flashed in front of her eyes as stars danced in her vision and blinded her to the world.


	3. Chapter 3

_The soldier immediately lowered his weapon as she came into full view, recognizing her as an injured citizen and not some silent threat. He was clad in full armor and she struggled to see the face of her savior beneath the reflective panel of his helmet, seeing only her own frazzled, terrified eyes staring back at her. He strode towards her in long footsteps, quickly grabbing her pistol and deftly stuffing it into some unseen holster. He didn't trust her with the gun, not that she could blame him – she didn't even trust _herself_ with the gun. As he stored his own weapon, he flipped up his visor, revealing his face to her, and it was all she could do not to stare in awe._

___He appeared to be young, not much older than she, and devilishly handsome. _His whiskey eyes searched over her body, assessing her wounds, and she noted the tightness around the corners, the sharp edge of his countenance as he scrutinized her, making him appear older than his years. The man's gaze lingered on her forehead and she saw the brief flicker of worry settle across his features.

_He brought his right hand to the side of his helmet and placed two fingers against the scorched metal, slightly tilting his head to the touch. "Commander, I found a civilian; young girl, probably in her teens, and she's sustained several injuries. Sending my position to you. Requesting emergency medical evac."_

_He had a deep voice, gravelly almost, and it was soothing to the traumatized girl, like a lullaby beckoning her to sleep._

_The man was silent for a moment, listening to a voice the girl couldn't hear, and he stared directly at her, maintaining an almost unnerving eye-contact._

_He gave a terse nod as he spoke, "Aye, aye, Commander," and knelt down beside her. He looked at her with soft eyes, trying and failing to mask his blatant pity and sympathy._

_"Ma'am, my name is Kaidan Alenko; I'm with the Alliance Navy. I'm here to help you."_

* * *

Her body fell limply against the door and she turned her head away from the crushed window as the car settled on its side. Although her ears rang deafeningly loud, Avery was certain she could hear the distant sound of wailing.

"My leg! Oh my God, I can see the _fucking bone!" _Avery couldn't make out the voice – was it Jazz or Marie?

Her vision was still obfuscated by the concussion, and she felt a hot, sticky substance run down her forehead and mat her eye closed. She roughly brushed off the offending liquid, allowing her eye to finally open, and held her fingers closely in front of her face – they were painted dark red.

"Marie! Marie, calm down! Calm the fuck down!" Jazz's voice cut through the piercing headache that rattled Avery's head.

So it'd been Marie who screamed with pain.

"_Don't you fucking dare tell me to calm down! My goddamned leg is fucking broken_!" Marie, usually a soft-spoken, well-behaved girl, muttered a slew of obscenities.

"Avery! Hey, Avery, you okay back there?" Jazz spoke above Marie's cries, struggling to shift her body to turn and look at her best friend, but something prevented her from moving.

"Yeah… yeah I'm fine." Avery decided it best to not mention her head wound; it paled in comparison to Marie's injury. "What about you?"

"My foot's stuck – it's jammed between the pedal and the door. I can't feel it, so it might be broken. Dunno yet. But Marie… her leg… it's bad, Avery, real bad." She could hear the urgency in Jasmine's voice as Marie's woeful wails echoed in the small car, exacerbating Avery's headache.

The younger girl's mind snapped to attention, instantly formulating a plan to try and free them of their predicament. Concussion or no, Avery had a knack for strategy and leadership, and her friends had learned long ago to listen to her in dire circumstances.

"Jazz, can you roll down the back right window? I'm gonna crawl out and see if I can flip the car back." Avery grunted with effort as she straightened out her contorted body, trying to firmly plant her feet on the door underneath her.

"Yeah, no problem, so long as the power windows aren't jammed," Jazz murmured, unaffected at the notion of her friend moving an entire vehicle by herself.

By some grace of some god, the window miraculously rolled down, whining its resistance as the damaged motor struggled to turn. Adrenaline began inundating Avery's body as she pulled herself to the window, fingers cutting into the frame as she yanked her form free of the car. She grunted with strained effort as she weaseled out of the small opening, wiggling her body and climbing to freedom. She jumped out and fell unsteadily to the ground, next to the mangled corpse of the batarian. Bile crept up her throat as she absorbed the sickening sight: his arm was missing and his midsection was an unrecognizable pile of meat and bone from the blast.

Avery mercilessly swallowed the vomit as she pushed herself to her feet and walked to the other side of the car.

"My leg… I'll never be able to use it again – it's gone, it's dead," Marie's delirious voice wafted out of the car. Shock must have settled in as her agonized screams subsided.

"Hold on, I'm gonna flip the car. I'll get you guys out of there, I swear it."

She bent down, placing her right shoulder and arm on the roof of the car and positioned her left hand to the side. A stressed grunt escaped her lips as she leaned her entire weight against the vehicle, petitioning it to move. Adrenaline coursed through Avery's veins, granting her the strength needed to move the car back to its usual position, and she heard the groan of steel as its wavering frame relented to her efforts.

Once it had teetered a few inches to the side, gravity did the rest and pulled the side of the car back down on the ground with a sickening crack as it crushed the batarian's body. Avery cringed with renewed nausea at the sound, desperately trying to banish thoughts of the mutilated carcass.

A loud shriek emitted from the vehicle as the motion shuffled the girls inside, twisting their trapped limbs and jostling their broken bones. Avery threw the driver's side door open, freeing Jazz's trapped foot from its prison. Jazz seethed with pain as blood flow returned to her choked appendage and sent an army of needles prickling through her limb.

Avery held out her hand and hoisted Jasmine to her feet, holding her steady as she regained her composure. They exchanged a worried glance, not voicing their concern over Marie, who was incapacitated by her severely broken leg. Avery's house was miles away – there was no way that they would be able to walk there, especially considering Marie's newborn handicap.

_What are we going to do? _Avery thought, already envisioning a painful death at the hands of the batarians.

Jazz's eyes focused on the gash that graced Avery's forehead, cutting deeply into her eyebrow.

"Hey, your head… you sure you're okay?" Jazz's brow knitted with concern as she tilted her head to examine the wound.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just a scrape," Avery brushed her off as she tried to ignore the relentless throb in her skull.

Jasmine snorted, "If you say so. It's gonna leave a gnarly scar, girl. The boys are gonna _love _hearing about how you got it."

Avery glanced at her friend, trying to read her expression; it was bereft of the optimism in her words. She fretted for a moment before leading the way to the other side of the car with Jazz limping behind her. She'd figure something out. She _had _to. But first, she had to focus on untangling Marie from the carnage without further injuring her leg.

She opened the door and looked at Marie, who was ghostly white from blood loss, a small smile playing at her split and bloodied lips. "I'm gonna die, Avery. I'm gonna die, just like I was supposed to in the school."

"Don't talk like that; we're gonna get you out of here, I already told you that," Avery insisted while wiping a fresh trail of blood off her eye.

Marie shook her head bitterly, resigned to her dismal fate. "Stop it, Avery, you're not fooling anyone. Your charm might work on the adults and the boys, but not on me. I've known you my entire life – I know when you're lying. You're lying to me right now. I'm going to die." Marie spoke with such pragmatism that it sent a shiver down Avery's spine. Marie couldn't be dead; she wouldn't let that happen, she wouldn't let her friend die in this fucking car.

Avery surveyed the vehicle and saw a gaping hole just under Marie's broken leg. The grenade must have detonated right underneath her, causing her leg to shatter as metal and shrapnel forced its way into the car, entangling in the limb and slashing through muscle and sinew.

Jazz spoke up, realizing that Avery was devoid of any words of comfort, "Yeah, well, you know I won't bullshit you; I'm not about that. I tell it like it is. And believe me when I say this: we _are_ going to get you out of there."

Marie gave an empty laugh; the sound was unsettling for the other girls: it was heavy with admission of defeat.

Avery readied herself to speak when the sound of cracking branches penetrated the air. Her head snapped up and she gazed intently at the forest, praying beyond hope that the sound came from some scared animal and not another batarian. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Jazz tense with anticipation, her body instinctually adopting a defensive stance as she readied her muscles to flee.

Her heart thudded loudly in her chest and made it difficult to discern the sounds emanating from the foliage. Her mouth went dry and she swallowed painfully at the lump that formed in her throat. Avery's stomach dropped as a silhouette emerged from the forest, outlining a very angry and very large batarian.

Marie noticed the change in Avery's demeanor and tilted her head in question. "What is it?" Her eyes flickered to the dangling rearview mirror, and her white face blanched further at the alien she saw walking toward them.

"Avery, we have to leave. Even if we do get Marie out, bringing her with us will just slow us down and we'll all be dead," Jazz said coolly, taking careful deliberation to avoid looking at her doomed friend.

"Guys, don't leave me here. Please, I'm begging you, don't leave me. I don't want to die," Marie pleaded, suddenly changing her mind as the inevitability of death taunted her.

Avery wrenched her gaze away from Marie and stared at Jazz with astonishment. Surely, she misheard her – Jazz would never suggest leaving their friend to die. It was unspeakable.

"Avery, we have to. I know this sounds awful, but Marie's dead either way. If we want to live, we _have_ to leave. We at least have a fighting chance if we run," Jazz was insistent, her voice was so stoic and void of emotion that it spread a chill over Avery's skin.

Jasmine was right – she knew she was right, but she couldn't abandon her friend. She just couldn't do that her. It was _wrong_.

"_Please! _You can't leave me here! If you do, it'd be like killing me yourself! You think you can live with that?" Marie begged, her voice shaking from unshed tears. Jazz's sight remained steadily on Avery, unable to look at Marie, to face the girl she wanted to leave behind. "Avery, _please, _I'm begging you, don't leave me." A sob tore from Marie's throat.

"Jasmine, you know I can't leave her…" Avery began as a sound from the forest drew her attention.

The batarian stepped ever closer to them, his menacing stance filled with satisfaction at his felled victims. He took his time walking toward them, knowing that even if they ran, the men behind him would surely catch them. Any resistance was futile.

Jazz clutched fistfuls of black hair and shouted her frustration. "Goddamn you, Avery Shepard!"

She lunged at Avery and placed her hands flat on either side of her face, forcing her to hold her gaze. Jazz was so close to her that every breath she exhaled caressed Avery's face, slightly cooling the burning sensation above her eye.

"Even if we get out of here alive, Marie'll be dead from blood loss. _We have to run. _Do you _want_ to die? Do you want your parents and Jeremy to mourn your death, a death that you could've prevented?"

"Jasmine, stop! Please!" Marie's voice cried out, interrupting Jazz's argument.

Avery squeezed her eyes shut, indecision eating away at her as she vacillated and weighed her options. She wasn't sure she could ever forgive herself if she left one of her best friends to die, but at least she would be alive… Right?

Jazz's argument was valid; Marie was dead, whether it be from blood loss or the batarians, she was dead. She was a wounded animal caught in a bear trap. Avery'd seen it a thousand times before when her parents hunted for game. Sometimes, the more loyal of the species would stay huddled around their dying companion, trying to pry it free from its cage, only to be cut down by a swift blade to the neck. The injured only served to lure the healthy into a death trap.

Avery's mind worked frantically, going through scenarios in her head. She'd be dead before she even had the chance to free Marie. She loved Marie like a sister, but Avery didn't want to die, and she definitely didn't want to become a slave. The thought was terrifying, and she hated herself for her cowardice, for her decision to leave a friend to die so that she might live.

She couldn't look at Marie, couldn't bear to look into the face of the girl she was betraying. Avery leveled her green gaze with Jazz's, tears shining brightly in her eyes.

"Okay… l-let's go," her voice was a strained whisper, hoping to prevent Marie from hearing her condemnation.

_"NO!" _Marie flailed in the car, hopelessly trying to free her ruined leg from the twisted metal, banging against the dashboard in front of her.

Hope flashed on Jasmine's face at Avery's reluctant agreement and she exhaled a sigh of relief. Wordlessly, she grabbed her friend's hand and pulled her away from the wrecked car. Neither were certain where they were going to run, but they at least had to _try_.

"Marie, I'm so, so sorry… I'm so sorry…" Avery couldn't bring herself to look at Marie as she turned her back in abandonment and fled.


End file.
